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Rescue 1122 "service above self"

RescueRanger

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This year is the 16th anniversary of the Rescue 1122, and this thread is dedicated to a success story of mainstreaming emergency medical service and all hazard disaster response service in Pakistan.

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The journey beings with one man Dr. Rizwan Naseer a trauma surgeon by profession witnessed the abysmal state of pre-hospital care in Pakistan. Dr. Naseer approached many bodies to improve the state of pre-hospital care in Pakistan this included EDHI Ambulance, Civil Defence, Fire Brigade and the Red Crescent movement but there was little or no movement.

In 2004, Dr. Naseer put forward a proposal to the Government of Punjab to establish a modern ambulance service to serve the municipality of Lahore and thus on October the 14th, 2004, with 18 Mercedes Sprinter ambulances purchased through M/S Shahnawaz Pvt Limited, and 2 Rescue vehicles the Punjab Emergency Ambulance Service (PES) came into being, albeit on a "trial" basis.
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Image 1: Rescue 1122 Central Station (Lahore) 2 x Mercedes Sprinter Ambulances and 1 Rescue Vehicle (Toyota Hilux), Circa 2006

Rescue 1122 was an immediate success and improved the way in which pre-hospital care was provided in the city, the framework was unique, because going beyond the traditional "meat wagon" approach of ambulance services in Pakistan — PES staffed modern and well equipped ambulances with trained emergency medical technicians and mapped out the nearest trauma center/burn centre and ensured patients were transported to the correct facility to receive advanced care.

Dr. Naseer stationed staff at these hospitals and introduced the Trauma Handover protocol
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Image 2: trauma registration form (c) Rescue 1122 Pakistan

The handover form would be completed by the EMT in the Ambulance and handed over to hospitals concerned to ensure that the patients care was fully documented, administration related hurdles reduced and lives saved by saving time that would be otherwise be wasted on outdated practices of patient registrations at hospital.

The devastating earthquake of October 8th, 2005 was challenging for the entire country, PES sent a team of emergency medical technicians (EMT's) and Ambulances to the collapsed Margalla Towers, and later to Muzzafarabad, witnessing the lack of capacity and level of suffering and devestation - compounded by poorly trained responsed the management of PES discovered the need for an organisation that can provide an "all hazard" approach to disaster and emergency management.

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Image 3: PES/1122 on scene of Margalla Towers on day 2 (October 9th, 2005).

2006: THE PUNJAB EMERGENCY SERVICE ACT 2006 is introduced and PES officially changes it's name to Rescue 1122. Owing to the success of the "trial" service in Lahore, the Government of Punjab agreed to task Dr. Rizwan Naseer to establish 1122 services in the following districts: Multan, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Rahim Yar Khan, Murree and Bahawalpur.

The government of Punjab donated the grounds of the former new city GPO Bus depot to establish the Emergency Services Academy.
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Image 4: Map of Punjab Emergency Services Academy, Lahore.

In 2006 & 2007 trainers form Rescue 1122 visited the Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Service to undergo training in Fire & Rescue skills to establish the fire fighting element of Rescue 1122.

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Image 5: First batch of Rescue 1122 staff and trainers "The Pioneer Batch".

The service designed it's own title for staff as "Rescuer" and developed a unique uniform modeled on the uniform of the London Ambulance Service, the use of the title "Rescuer" and the uniform was granted protection under law with the introduction of the PUNJAB EMERGENCY SERVICE ACT 2006.

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Image 6: Rescue 1122 working dress uniform

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Image 7: Rescue 1122 specialist Uniforms (Left to Right): Firefighter with SCBA, HAZMAT Suit, CBRN Suit, Disaster Response Team Uniform, Emergency Medical Technician Uniform.

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Image 8: Rescue 1122 Rank Structure

Another issue that presented itself was the lack of a off the shelf (Computer Assisted Dispatch and Call Logging Software), working with local software development company (LDS), Rescue 1122 developed a tailored, locally produced call logging, management software:
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Image 9: Rescue 1122 Call logging software

In addition to the call logging software, in order to effectively manage resources at any given time, a locally designed, low cost automated resource location system was designed from the the ground up for Rescue 1122, which allowed control room supervisors and dispatchers to keep an eye on all available resources such as ambulances in real time.

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Image 10: Rescue 1122 ARLS(Automated Resource Location System)

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Financial and political challenges:
As with everything in Pakistan, politics is never too far away and sadly Pakistan is known as the grave yard of development projects and good intentions. As the service grew so did the challenges, between 2014-2015 was the most challenging period for the national rescue service, on more than one occasion staff would work on a "voluntary" basis due to a shortage of funds to pay for salaries and the threat of the service being scrapped as it was a project of the previous political regime.

All PML-Q initiatives have been rolled back: Pervaiz - Newspaper - DAWN.COM
Time to rescue 1122? | Dialogue | thenews.com.pk

Failures and criticism:
Just like every other public body in Pakistan, Rescue 1122 is not free from criticism, incidents of failure and allegations of corruption or nepotism. The ineffective response to the LDA Plaza Fire was an eye opener for Rescue 1122 and it's lack of Aerial Ladders to reach high rise buildings in the city.


There has been criticism of the Director General (Dr. Rizwan Naseer) amid allegations of corruption and nepotism:




In 2017, the organisation faced another major trial when former Director General (Training) Brigadier (Retd) Aamir Hamza entered into a public feud with founder and DG (Rescue Operations) Dr. Rizwan Naseer.

Supporting indigenous manufacturing capacity and innovation:
The management of Rescue 1122 continues to support innovation in emergency management and support local businesses engaged in design and fabrication of indigenous rescue vehicles and ambulances:

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Image 11: Locally Manufactured Water Rescue Vehicle

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Image 12: Locally manufactured Fire Vehicle

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Image 13: Locally manufactured Search and Rescue Vehicle

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Image 14: Interior of locally fabricated Emergency Ambulances
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Image 15: Interior of locally fabricated Command & Control Vehicle.
Current Coverage: 36 Districts and 15 Tehsils
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Current Capacity:
Staff7862
Rescue Stations102
Ambulances318
Rescue Vehicles65
Rescue Boats366
Fire Vehicles189
Water Bowsers42
Aerial Platforms14
Turntable Ladder
 
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Since 2004 Rescue 1122 has attended;
Emergency telephone calls1,73,722,125
Road Traffic Collisions 2,842, 561
Medical Emergencies4,326,540
Fire Emergencies163,817
Crime related incidents267,280
Structural Collapse9,743
Drowning Incidents13,611

In the ongoing COVID 19 response, Rescue 1122 has assisted with the following:
Answered Covid related calls26818
Ration Requests21591
Covid Medical Calls3788
Covid Patients transported to hospital14,064
Covid patients transported to quarantine 3238
Covid Burials2450
Disinfection of public spaces
115,993
 
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Developing local capacity and working in Partnership:
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Image 17: Rescue 1122 training police cadets in first aid

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Image 18: Rescue 1122 training police cadets in first aid.

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Image 19: Rescue 1122 training officers in first aid.

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Image 20: Rescue 1122 training police cadets in basic Search and Rescue skills

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Image 21: Rescue 1122 training Police Anti Riot Unit.
Joint training operations with Pakistan Army:
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Image 22: Joint training exercise between Rescue 1122 and Pakistan Army Search and Rescue Team

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Image 23: Joint training exercise between Rescue 1122 and Pakistan Army Search and Rescue Team

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Image 24: Joint training exercise between Rescue 1122 and Pakistan Army Search and Rescue Team

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Image 24: Joint training exercise between Rescue 1122 and Pakistan Army Search and Rescue Team

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Image 22: Joint training exercise between Rescue 1122 and Pakistan Army Search and Rescue Team
 
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Visit by Foreign Rescue Teams to Rescue 1122:
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Image 23: International Emergency Medical Team - UK, Dr. Mez visiting Rescue 1122

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Image 23: American Consulate Medical team visiting Rescue 1122

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Image 24: Visit from the Irish Ambulance Service to Rescue Academy

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Image 25: Visit from the Swiss Rescue Team to Rescue 1122

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Image 26: delegates from the UAE Search and Rescue Team participate in National Rescue Games 2019

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Image 26: delegates from the Turkish Search and Rescue Team AKUT / IUSARC participate in the National Search and Rescue Games 2019.

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Image 27: Pakistani Rescue 1122 Emergency Medical Technician, Palwashay Akhtar wins 1st award in National Search and Rescue Games 2019.

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Image 28: French Search and Rescue Taskforce FRA01 visit Rescue 1122

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Image 29: Jordanian Search and Rescue delegation visit Rescue 1122.

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Image 30: Kazakhstan Army Delegation visit Rescue 1122 for Search and Rescue Training.
Training communities:
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Image 31: First aid training for teachers

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Image 32: Training college students in basic rescue techniques.

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Image 33: Training guides in First aid

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Image 34: Training scouts in First Aid

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Image 35: Training school children basic first aid.
 
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I really really like 1122 rescue service and the skills and professionalism of rescuers, hope this service starts in other provisions as well
 
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Enhancing Support: Over the years, Rescue 1122 has increased and added to its capacity in various aspects of emergency management to include the following -

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Image 35: Technical Rescue team comprising of Advanced EMT, Urban Search and Rescue and Rescue Diver

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Image 36: Learning from the lessons of the LDA Plaza Fire, Rescue 1122 now has access to two Bronto Sky Lift Aerial Tables, with the ability to provide firefighting capacity at all major high rise buildings in Lahore.

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Image 37:Pakistan's first female firefighter, Shazia standing with the two Bronto Skylift Aerial Platforms.

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Image 38:A small cadre of Rescue 1122 staff have undergone the EOD course at the Civil Defence Academy of Explosives Handling.

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Image 39: Rescue 1122 now has a full complement of technical rescue and rescue from height skills allowing rescuers to safely access and remove patients and survivors from high buildings.

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Image 40: Rescue 1122 now has a full complement of technical rescue and rescue from height skills allowing rescuers to safely access and remove patients and survivors from high buildings.

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Image 41: Rescue 1122 has the ability to provide an on-call air ambulance using an Mi-17 helicopter on loan from the Government of Punjab.

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Image 42: Rescue 1122 is the only rescue organisation in South Asia to receive the coveted United Nations INSARAG accreditation, making it part of an elite cadre of international search and rescue teams.
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Conclusion:

What started as a journey by one man in 2004 has faced numerous challenges, despite this Rescue 1122 has become a brand name in Pakistan, in a study carried out in Lahore University into public confidence in Emergency Services in Pakistan, 277 people were interviewed.

Only 3% people did not know about the Rescue service. In response to the question “In case of emergency which of the following will reach you first?” most of the respondents, 245 out of 277, thought that Rescue 1122 would reach first. This reflected the public confidence in the service.

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One of the most important motto's for any rescuer to live by is "Service beyond self", the below clips will hopefully highlight why Rescue 1122 does that so well.

Rescue 1122 rescue a trapped baby chick:

Rescue 1122 reunite missing child with is mother:

Rescue 1122 conduct the burial of a COVID 19 patient, despite a severe dust storm:

Ultimately I am not for one minute claiming that Rescue 1122 as an organisation is without flaw or blemish, however it is a matter for great Pride for Pakistan, that we have a service that works for the public good, I hope you enjoyed reading about the journey of this amazing organisation, and that you too will find pride in this wonderful organisation and its amazing staff.
 

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All provinces minus Sindh will be covered by it
Sadly enough, Sindh was meant to be the first province outside Punjab to have 1122, the ambulances are rotting at the KDA parking lot:
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The local PPP power base is pathetic and people still vote for these vultures. Karachi has the highest trauma related deaths in Pakistan and the city still doesn’t have a professional ambulance and rescue service because of the unbridled greed of PPP politicians.
 
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international teams come here to train us?


Rescue 1122 Emergency Service Academy has trained the following international teams:

-AKUT (Turkey)
-Kazakhstan Army & Civil Defence
-Bangladesh Civil Defence

Rescue 1122 have trained with the following international organisations:
-Irish Ambulance Service
-London Ambulance Service
-Scottish Fire Service
-Swiss Rescue
-TWH (German Rescue)
-Jordanian Rescue Team
-UAE National Search & Rescue Center (Visit to centre in Abu Dhabi)
-UK Government International Search And Rescue (ISAR)
-US State Department ICITAP
-US State Department Anti Terrorism Assistance Program (WMD Responder Course)
-JICA (Japan)
-China International Search & Rescue Team (CISAR)
-French Urban Search And Rescue Taskforce
-Nepal NSET PEER
-Singapore Civil Defence

I may have missed a few off the list.
 
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